1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shears employed to subdivide hot rolled steel bar products in rolling mills, and is concerned in particular with the provision of a dual ratio drive for such shears.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Smaller sized bar products ranging in diameter up to about 16 mm are typically delivered to dividing shears at speeds ranging as high as 20 m/sec, whereas larger bar products having diameters larger than 60 mm travel at substantially lower speeds, often as low as 1.5 m/sec. Conventionally, the smaller sized bar products are subdivided by high speed shears, having sufficient kinetic energy to propel the shear blades through successive cutting cycles. However, because of their lower delivery speeds and larger cross sections, the larger sized bar products must be directed to shears operating at lower speeds, where flywheels or the like are needed to develop the energy required to effect cutting.
The objective of present invention is to provide a dual ratio drive enabling one shear to subdivide both the smaller and larger sized bar products.